Borrow Collection

Name

Borrow Collection

Description

This collection was formed by Sir Angus McKay Fraser (1928-2001). It comprises mainly books written and translated by the linguist, author and traveller George Henry Borrow (1803-1881). Borrow was one of the first British writers to study Gypsy, Roma and Traveller culture in depth. There are around 880 items in the collection, which date from the 1820s to the 1990s and include monographs and journals about Borrow and his work, as well as books formerly owned by him, such as several editions and translations of his masterwork 'Lavengro'. The majority of the non-fiction works in the collection relate to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller language and culture, Welsh language, culture, folklore and geography, Spanish and French culture, religious life and civil liberty. Fraser was born in Scotland and became a senior civil servant, serving as chairman of the Board of Customs and Excise from 1983 to 1987 and Efficiency Adviser to the Prime Minister from 1988 until 1992. He was also an expert on George Borrow, at the time of his death he was President of the Borrow Society, which he had helped to found in 1991. Fraser in turn became the foremost British authority on the history of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. He served as Assistant Editor for the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society and received a DLitt from Glasgow University in 1993.

Organisation

Cataloguing of the collection is in progress, there is also a collection-level record in the Library catalogue.

Acquisition

The collection was bequeathed by Sir Angus Fraser and received by the Library in 2002, through the good offices of his son, Simon.

Related collections

Sir Angus McKay Fraser's personal papers, printed works, manuscripts, correspondence and research material referencing Gypsies, Roma and Travellers in the UK and Europe are on deposit in Leeds University Library.

References

'George Borrow: a bibliographic study', M Collie and A Fraser, St Paul's bibliographies, vol. 9, Winchester, 1984.

'Borrow, George Henry (1803–1881), writer and traveller,' A Fraser, (2008, May 24). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online resource).

Online resources

Sir Angus (McKay) Fraser Collection at Leeds University Library

Shelfmark

Bor.

Subjects

Folklore

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities

Borrow, George